Fourth year of college is complete! Graduation is in sight.
Over the past year, I have become increasingly aware of the social issue of waste and trash in our society today. I completed an honors experience where I attempted to live waste-free for 30 days. It was difficult, but I learned a lot and have been trying to use my knowledge in all parts of my life. Since my challenge last summer, I feel like the idea of reducing waste and recycling has been more prevalent on the media and in conversations with friends and coworkers. I carry a stainless steel straw wherever I go, and intentionally only use one paper towel whenever I wash my hands in public restrooms. I am pursuing this topic because I believe it is our responsibility as humans to be good stewards of the earth and it's resources. I also think that things in life are more important that physical belongings, and that we are better off with less clutter and waste.
I achieved a goal I had last year: I lived on my own in a brand new city. My job was different from any job I had experienced before. I worked at Therma-Tru in Butler, Indiana helping to make doors. I learned about manufacturing and process engineering. And I also saw how bigger companies approach waste in manufacturing. I was excited to see recycling bins all around the plant, but as weeks went on I was disappointed to see that the bins were not emptied, and the bottles inside collected dust. I was glad to know they tried to fix imperfections in products rather than throwing them away, yet piles of doors still got thrown away, and no one was allowed to collect and use the scrap. It made packing my lunch in all re-usable containers feel pointless when associates used several paper towels to stain each door.
I'm not sure where I will end up after graduation, but I want to work somewhere that cares about the environment and creates a well made product that will help the consumer in the long run. I am excited to take a renewable energy class and industrial design seminar next semester, and hopefully both classes will help me figure out where I want to be in the work field.
Over the past year, I have become increasingly aware of the social issue of waste and trash in our society today. I completed an honors experience where I attempted to live waste-free for 30 days. It was difficult, but I learned a lot and have been trying to use my knowledge in all parts of my life. Since my challenge last summer, I feel like the idea of reducing waste and recycling has been more prevalent on the media and in conversations with friends and coworkers. I carry a stainless steel straw wherever I go, and intentionally only use one paper towel whenever I wash my hands in public restrooms. I am pursuing this topic because I believe it is our responsibility as humans to be good stewards of the earth and it's resources. I also think that things in life are more important that physical belongings, and that we are better off with less clutter and waste.
I achieved a goal I had last year: I lived on my own in a brand new city. My job was different from any job I had experienced before. I worked at Therma-Tru in Butler, Indiana helping to make doors. I learned about manufacturing and process engineering. And I also saw how bigger companies approach waste in manufacturing. I was excited to see recycling bins all around the plant, but as weeks went on I was disappointed to see that the bins were not emptied, and the bottles inside collected dust. I was glad to know they tried to fix imperfections in products rather than throwing them away, yet piles of doors still got thrown away, and no one was allowed to collect and use the scrap. It made packing my lunch in all re-usable containers feel pointless when associates used several paper towels to stain each door.
I'm not sure where I will end up after graduation, but I want to work somewhere that cares about the environment and creates a well made product that will help the consumer in the long run. I am excited to take a renewable energy class and industrial design seminar next semester, and hopefully both classes will help me figure out where I want to be in the work field.